


Verboten Behavior Often Gets You Banned from Public Places

by lazylyz



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, getting kicked out of libraries, hot boi, wizards flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 06:03:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20755538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazylyz/pseuds/lazylyz
Summary: Set sometime after the Mighty Nein have solidified their ties to the Dynasty. Caleb and Essek are researching in the Mighty Nein’s den. Nott is tinkering at her alchemy station making a ruckus. Essek brings up going elsewhere to research and study. Then jokes are made about being banned from several libraries and such. Then Essek takes Caleb to the marble tomes conservatory and they get into shenanigans and get kicked out.





	Verboten Behavior Often Gets You Banned from Public Places

The plan had been to research during their brief stay over at the Xhorhouse before heading back out and tracking a few members of the Cerberus Assembly. Essek had agreed to assist, but Caleb had not accounted for Nott's desire to tinker at her alchemy station. He should have figured peace and quiet was a far thing when being surrounded by the Mighty Nein.

After yet another loud bang, Caleb addressed Essek with a disquiet unease, "My apologies for all the noise. I had no clue she was going to be taking today to tinker with her explosives. If you wish, we can meet again later to finish our research?"

"I think I know a place we can go with minimal distractions." Essek hummed thoughtfully before the door to the study banged open.

"Hey, Nott!" Beau shouted. "You got a moment?"

A cut off curse escaped Nott as the bottle she was handling dropped scattering its contents across the table.

"Oh sorry," Beau glanced at the seating by the bookshelves where Caleb and Essek had several books and papers spread out. "Double sorry," She said taking the space next to Caleb's chair.

"Oh, don't worry. We were going to be leaving soon. I got you permission to enter the Marble Tomes Conservatory," Essek addressed Caleb while gathering up several of the papers and putting his spellbook away into the pocket dimension. "You'll have to be under my supervision, and you'll only be allotted a short amount of time, but I hope this shows a token of their gratitude for your assistance."

"Caleb that's awesome!" Beau clapped him hard on his shoulder. He rubbed it gently while Nott came over after putting her things down.

"Yeah," Nott said. "It's a good thing you can't bring the rest of us or you'll be banned like we are from all those other libraries."

Essek eyes widened with concern stopping himself from leaving. He turned to Caleb. "Do I want to know?"

"Well, the first one was Caleb's fault," Nott started.

"Err, to an extent it was," Caleb said looking away from everyone. "And technically that was not the first place we were banned from."

"What was that one about?" Beau asked.

"The distraction," Caleb offered not sure he wanted to go into detail with Essek so willing to invite him into the coveted Marble Tomes.

"Oh, the one where you shot him with a crossbow bolt," Beau exclaimed. "We had only been there like a total of three hours."

"Shot in a library?"

"He can't just call out modern literature and expect me not to shoot him. There's a protocol to these things!" Nott explained.

"It's true. I did ask for it," Caleb said. "I may have not thought that one through since we were pressed for time."

Essek had a weary expression come over his features.

"You shot Caleb in a library," He sighed. "Might I ask where this was and for what?"

"It was for that paper you so cleverly dispelled before we went to tangle with the white dragon," Nott said.

"Uthodurn," Beau interjected. "That Steeple place."

"The Velum Steeple, yeah."

"You steal from places of learning?" Essek questioned Caleb, eyes intent on his.

"Er, well," Caleb squirmed under Essek's stern gaze, "I couldn't just dispel it while they were watching over me, and it could have been anything. It was just a minor book, so I only took the last page. They won't be missing it." Caleb paused for a moment with a look of stricken fear. "Not that I'll be stealing from your Conservatory of course. Plus, you will be watching me, so no funny business."

Essek let out an undignified snort, and Caleb could tell he was starting to second guess his reasons for letting him into the Marble Tomes.

"That doesn't include the other places we were banned from," Nott continued off-handedly.

Caleb tried to interject, but Beau beat him to it. "It's really only one other."

"You've been banned elsewhere?" Essek asked. "Not just libraries?"

"Darktow was the first," Nott answered, "But that's because we uncovered a plot to overthrow their current ruler, commander, king. I don't know."

"The Plank King," Beau supplied.

"Caleb was clutch," Nott bragged. "During the night he transcribed her secret code and made a cipher to be able to read her journal. And the following morning we were confronted on her ship and had to make a daring escape and deliver the information to the King. It was all very thrilling. We got banished on the spot after he snapped the neck of his opposition."

"Yeah, we got lucky with that one," Caleb said lamely.

"My my, you all get up to some interesting things." Essek gave Caleb a look over.

"Anyways," Nott continued, "Uthodurn was the second place, as I told you, and then when you had asked us to go searching for the last beacon we decided it would be convenient to have some teleportation sigils for Caleb to be able to take us to the Empire quickly in the future."

"That was not my fault," Caleb tried to explain. "Beauregard is the one who led us through and pushed for those circles."

"Hey! You needed those, and they've helped us tremendously with traveling between the Empire, the Menagerie Coast, and here," Beau said matter-of-factly and placed her hand on her hip.

"Mind," Nott cut her off with a wave of her hand and addressed Essek, "this was just after the Laughing Hand and co tore through the Cobalt Soul, so we probably didn't think it all the way through."

"Really? Why doesn't that surprise me."

"At least we're still welcome in Zadash," Caleb offered.

"That's because I'm based out of the Zadash office. They can't just expel me for doing my job."

"Well." Nott drew out the word and gave Beau a pained look.

"Let's just say we got banned from two Cobalt Soul facilities in under an hour," Caleb finished.

Essek chuckled to himself. "I hope you don't do whatever it is that got you banned there here at the Conservatory."

"He'd need some horses first-"

"I don't think I want to know," Essek cut Nott off before she could go into another long-winded explanation. He turned to Caleb and motioned towards the door. "Shall we?"

"Oh." Caleb startled. "Err yes, let me just grab a few things and we'll be off."

Nott looked between the two mages before addressing Essek. "Now make sure he gets back on time. We've got dinner tonight. You're welcome to join us."

"I will, little goblin."

Affronted, Nott bared her teeth at Essek when swept out of the room.

"Give it up, Nott." Caleb overheard Beau say as he followed Essek out the study through the house and on to the street.

"You keep interesting company."

"They all tend to, hrmm what's the word, put off those they meet. Nott means well, but she can be overbearing or overzealous at times."

"I am sure they all are," Essek commented while leading Caleb through the districts towards the Marble Tome Conservatory.

"The others are more subtle about it, but I think Nott's behavior has to do with the goblin nature exaggerating her personality."

"How do you mean?"

"Nott, or Veth as she was called, underwent a horrific transformation. She was not always a goblin, so it does not always sit well with her. I mean to help her get back what she misses."

"Well, if you're willing to put a few of the topics we were just researching, I know some tomes that could aid in that research."

They entered the marbled halls of the Conservatory. Essek led him past the reception desk without a glance at the individual behind it.

The Conservatory was vast, but it was clear Essek knew his way. The shelves passed them by, section after section. He turned down an aisle which ended with a small staircase leading up.

Once on the second landing, Essek guided him to an alcove towards the rear of the building.

"You should be able to find what you're looking for in this area," He said while taking a casual position at the edge of the aisle.

Caleb walked past and started to peruse the spines of the books, none quiet catching his attention yet.

"You know, when I was younger, we used the hidden away sections like this for other purposes," Caleb said. For a moment he wondered if Essek would ascertain his suggestion, but a quick glance over his shoulder confirmed Essek's enraptured gaze.

"Really?" Essek replied. He pushed off the bookshelf he had taken to leaning against, leaving the entrance of the aisle they had found themselves tucked away in, and gave Caleb a swift appraising look. "And here I took you for the most studious type. Not looking for that tucked away book?"

"No, certainly not at that time," Caleb chuckled letting his fingers trail over sever spines before selecting one.

"And now?"

Caleb paused, his finger tilting a book out of its place, and brought his eyes to meet Essek's.

"Well, isn't time anything we make of it?" Caleb asked with a quirked brow and a smirk across his lips drawing Essek's focus there. He briefly wondered if the bait would be taken.

"And what would we be making of it?" Essek asked as he stepped into Caleb's space and pushed the book back into place with one hand.

"Other purposes."

Essek hummed, his eyes not leaving Caleb's lips. "I don't think this would be met with approbation."

Their closeness was making it hard for Caleb to think. All he could focus on was the heat emanating from Essek. He wondered if Essek was having as hard of a time concentrating as him since it had been a while since he had been this close to someone in this kind of fashion.

"By me or by your Queen?" Caleb answered after a moment, his eyes tracking Essek's.

"My Queen holds you and your colleagues in high regard. However, other Dens have shown their displeasure in trusting you at all. Their aspersions of you are quite loutish."

"My actions have gained favor from the Queen and several of the highest Dens," Caleb said shifting away from the shelf to face Essek. "They can traduce all they like. I think the former matters more."

Essek's other hand came to rest on Caleb's hip, his fingers toying the edge of Caleb's coat while he looked resolutely into Caleb's eyes. He seemed to make up his mind when he took in a deep breath and let it out.

"I can say, I have been quite captivated by you since the moment you entered the Lucid Bastion. Though I must admit, I much prefer the attire you are in now."

"Your adulation is unneeded. I assure you."

"But consent is always nice to know," Essek said softly, leaning in closer.

Caleb watched Essek's lips quirk at the corners before he could no longer focus on them.

"You have that," He muttered.

The kiss was swift. Their resolve sure, but short-lived.

A throat cleared from the aisle entrance. Caleb pulled himself from soft lips with great reluctance and looked over Essek's shoulder. A tall drow figure stood there, arms crossed and nose scrunched, detesting the situation.

The dark elf wore formal robes and a frown to match the stodgy air of many library hands Caleb had come across in his past. He knew the risks of getting caught by types who liked to keep libraries places of learning.

"Ah, my apologies-"

"No need to apologize, Caleb," Essek said pulling away from Caleb. He straightened his robes and faced the intervening individual. "Ah, Adjunct Ermaris, Den Bilan, how nice to see you."

A sour pinched expressing came over the dark elf's face.

"You're not banned, but you are not welcome back today," The drow said with an upturned nose. "I'll not tell the Conservatory of your behavior granting you don't make it a habit of desecrating my jurisdiction. Take your fornicating and fraternizing elsewhere, Shadowhand."

"As pleasant as ever."

Essek, mantle billowing brushed past the adjunct. Caleb followed at his heels and a blush high on his cheeks. Ermaris watch them leave with a tight scowl but said no more. Caleb couldn't decide if he was more upset about being interrupted or missing a chance to research his fill mostly unsupervised.

Once out of the Conservatory, Essek faced Caleb. "Now it is my turn to apologize. We'll have to peruse the Tomes at a later date."

"As promising as that sounds, you are still welcome for dinner. If memory serves, Nott did invite you."

"And be interrogated by your Den?" Essek asked with a smirk.

"Only if you let yourself."

…

"That was fast," Beau remarked watching Caleb and Essek file into the kitchen where Caduceus was gathering the food to be put on the table.

"Ja, just some stuffy sort none too happy with my presence," Caleb said.

Essek chuckled with a pleased smile threatening to break through his usually collected demeanor. "That's one way of putting it."

They caught each other's gaze before looking away.

**Author's Note:**

> eh, I'm on tumblr @lazylyz and @lyzwrites, so yeah. That's it really.


End file.
